How to Calculate Tons

By Tim Banas; Updated April 24, 2017

A ton is a unit of weight and mass used in the United States. It is related to other units, such as ounces and pounds. If you know how many ounces or pounds an object weighs, you can calculate the number of tons it weighs.

Calculating Tons From Pounds

One ton is equal to 2,000 pounds. Use this ratio between the two units as a conversion factor to calculate tons from pounds. Consider a boulder that weighs 9,000 pounds. Calculate the number of tons as follows:

9,000 pounds x (1 ton / 2,000 pounds) = 4.5 tons

Calculating Tons From Ounces

One ton is equal to 32,000 ounces. Again, use this ratio as a conversion factor to calculate tons from ounces. Consider a toaster that weighs 64 ounces. Calculate the number of tons as follows:

64 ounces x (1 ton / 32,000 ounces) = 0.002 tons

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About the Author

Tim Banas started writing professionally in 2009 after teaching high school science for seven years. He has since written and edited for various online publications including Demand Studios, FYILiving.com, Tree.com and BinaryOption.com. He has a Master of Science in biology from Southern Illinois University.